


Is There Somewhere?

by coatlicue



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff, beronica, minimal angst, wrong number trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 23:03:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11473506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coatlicue/pseuds/coatlicue
Summary: "Is this weird? Us... talking about our days like we know each other?""Definitely," Betty said, "But strangely... I like you."Or, the wrong number Beronica AU that nobody asked for but I wrote anyway. Takes place the summer before their sophomore year.





	Is There Somewhere?

The sudden loud blaring of  _ Mmm Watcha Say  _ coming from her nightstand made Betty shoot up in bed. She shook the sleep out of her eyes and then opened her eyes to squint at the lit up screen of her phone. 5:34 AM. Betty hardly had anyone to call her at decent hours of the day, much less this early, so she picked up in hopes that it might be Polly. 

"Hello?"

"Oh my God, Mami, finally. I know that you're off visiting that god awful hometown of yours that was ripped straight out of a made for television 60's chick flick, but you need to get back to New York. Papi is fucking losing it. Seriously. I don't think that man knows how to make scrambled eggs or what the hell a skillet is. He's going to end up burning the house down! He can't keep his work papers straight, he doesn't know how to work the phone, and I am losing my mind having to answer all of his insane questions..."

"Wha-"

The other voice must have heard a rebuttal coming from the other end, but she wasn't finished. "Look, I know you're still mad at him. I defnitely don't blame you. But he's trying, he  _ really  _ is, and it's pitiful to watch him stumble like this. Plus, he doesn't know how to deal with my mood swings and I need you back here. Riverdale may have that  _ In Cold Blood  _ charm, but it definitely does not contain your daughter, so do the world a favor and come home."

"Oh-kay."

The other voice stumbled when she heard that. Betty pulled the phone away from her face and surveyed the number.  _ Unknown.  _

"Who is this?" The girl asked.

Betty laughed, "Not your mom, that's for sure."

"No, I guess you're not. You don't exactly have a motherly tone. And while this was fun, and by fun I mean totally humiliating, I don't have the time to chat."

"Uh - okay. Bye." Betty pulled the phone away from her face.  _ Weird,  _ she thought. And then she curled up and went back to sleep. She had a long day ahead of her at the Toni Morrison writing institute, and she couldn't let suspiciously attractive sounding strangers keep her from it. 

She really only slept for another hour before the RAs for the institute were banging on the dorm room doors with good mornings that would have woken up a dead man. Betty dressed herself, met up with Kevin Keller, and went to breakfast

**Unknown Number:** _ Uh, hey. I'm sorry about this morning. I probably woke you. And sorry for being rude, I'm stressed about stuff and should probably seek therapy.  _

Betty couldn't help but smile at the text. 

Kevin noticed her grin with rapt attention, "Ooo, you're smiling, is it Archie?"

"Huh?" Betty furrowed her eyebrows, "Oh, no it's nothing. Nobody. Just... this morning..." She scratched her forehead as she searched for an explanation. "Wrong number. I... it's really nothing."

_ Don't worry about it :),  _ Betty typed back.

"And yet... you're stuttering?" Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Betty Cooper, I always stutter."

"True," Kevin acquised. 

Betty's phone started vibrating on the courtyard table as she was about to take a bite of her bagel. Kevin swiped it from her before she could pick it up and answered with a gruff, "Hello?"

Betty strained to hear anything from the other end of the line, but all she got was mumblings. Female sounding mumblings. Kevin laughed and said, "Yeah, I bet you're not looking for me."

There's only one woman who would be calling Betty at such an innapropriate time. "Mom? I'm sorry, that was Kevin. I really don't have time to talk. I have to go do... stuff."

"Not your mom, either." The voice on the other side said, a voice that yes, was definitely not Alice Cooper. 

"Oh, um-" Betty continued, "Mystery caller?"

"Veronica, actually." There was a sharp breath, "Listen, I just wanted to apologize for this morning, and not just over some shitty text. I was pretty rude to you considering I was the one who accidentally called you. I was dealing with a... situation. Which you probably gathered from my ramblings."

"Don't worry about it, really. It's not a problem."

"Ah, okay, well, now that I've profoundly embarrassed myself, tell me your name so I can apologize for waking you up properly."

Betty laughed, "No way, you could be an axe murderer or something."

"Yeah, right. I don't even know where you are."

"Riverdale, duh." Betty said before she realized that she had just given her location out to a total stranger. 

"Ah, I'm in NYC, so you're probably alright." Veronica paused, "Wait, Riverdale? Like the 60's gothic horror town I was complaining about to you?"

"That would be the one. And I'm Betty, just in case you still wanted to know."

"Ah... well, then this has been sufficiently awkward. Take care of yourself, Betty from Riverdale."

***

Veronica looked at the phone screen and sighed. There was something oddly enticing about Betty. Something in her voice that made Veronica think that there was no mistake in the call. And okay, it wasn't the fact that it was a  _ girl  _ that freaked her out. It was the fact that it was a total stranger who could be thirty or a serial killer or just plain gross.

But her day had been stressfull and there was something about Betty that made Veronica's fingers itch to call her again. And because Veronica Lodge was known for many things but self-control was not one of them, she nervously made the phone call.

"Well," Betty answered, "It's Veronica from New York."

"Betty. From Riverdale. Hi."

"Hi. Um, so -" 

Before Betty could continue her sentence, Veronica interrupted with a "How was your day?"

"Um, busy. The writing institute I'm at keeps me busy. Lectures and classes and all. Going nonstop."

"Ah," Veronica said, "Well, are you busy now? Did I interrupt some amazing inspiration moment?"

"No," Betty sighed, "I've actually got a pretty terrible case of writer's block. Which is probably because I'm a journalist and trying to write stories."

"Sounds rough." Veronica halted, "Wait, journalist? How old exactly  _ are  _ you?"

"I'll be sixteen next month. Why?"

Veronica let out a breath of relief, "Oh, thank god. I was worried that I had accidentally called a thirty year old. That would've been awkward."

Betty's laugh filtered in through the phone, a bright, tinkling sound. "Yeah, well, I use the word journalist lightly. I write for the school newspaper. How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Oh, good." Betty said, "I'm glad we're each other's age. Otherwise that could have gotten weirder than it already kind of is."

Veronica furrowed her eyebrows, "Is this weird? Us... talking about our days like we know each other?"

"Definitely," Betty said, "But strangely... I like you. I mean, talking to you. I don't really... um, I don't have a ton of friends, so it's kind of nice. Oh god, that was probably weird and now you think I'm some kind of sad lon-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Veronica laughed, "I'm the one who called  _ you,  _ okay. So, tell me more about this writing institute of yours."

"Well... my mom kind of insisted on it. She works for the Riverdale Register, and she's always wanted me to kind of do the same. I like writing, though, it's nice. And the institute keeps me out of the house and away from her, which is a plus. I just wish it wasn't so fiction heavy."

"I see. Well, maybe if you don't think of it as making things up and instead write about what you know, it'll get easier. Plenty of fiction writers write like journalists, and if you ask me, it makes for the most interesting stories."

Betty hummed, "You may be right, Veronica... I hope I'm not prying, but, well, how's the situation with your father?"

Veronica chuckled, "He succesfully made toast this morning. God, I didn't realize until Mami left how much she was actually doing around the house. She's coming home soon, though, thank god. This house will not survive another day without Hermione Lodge."

"Wait, Lodge? You're Veronica Lodge?" Betty asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh wow, um, nothing much. My mom just hates your family."

Veronica raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"Your mom and my mom went to high school together. But it's not personal, my mom hates mostly everyone. Even the good ones." Betty sighed.

"Oh wow, what a small world." Veronica smiled, "And how did this woman end up with such a kindhearted daughter?"

"Beats me," Betty said. 

"So you're Betty..."

"What?"

Veronica lied down on her bed and picked at the stray threads of her comforter, "Well you know my last name, so it's only fair that you tell me yours."

"Oh, um, Cooper. Betty Cooper."

"I'm adding you on Facebook, Betty." Veronica opened up her laptop and typed 'Betty Cooper' into the search bar, filtering with Riverdale's location.

"No! Don't." Betty pleaded.

"Too late, I'm already looking. Why? Is there something  _ embarrassing?" _ Veronica teased.

"Only my face, Veronica."

"I think I found you. Are you the girl with RHS class of 2019 in your bio? And then 'Live, Love, Laugh.' under that?" A blonde girl with an impeccable smile stared back at Veronica from her computer screen.  _ Oh my God,  _ Veronica thought,  _ even her face is perfect. _ The raven haired girl frowned when she saw that her sexuality was unlisted.  _ Well, at least she is definitely single. _

Betty hummed embarrassedly, "Oh my God, yeah, that's me."

"What are you talking about your face is embarrassing? You are a total smokeshow, Betts. Even though we definitely need to work on your bio. And you call yourself a writer?"

"Hey, I did not accept your friend request just to be bullied. I will block you, Veronica Lodge."

Veronica couldn't hold in her laugh, "I'm just kidding, Betts."

"Oh, wow. You're really..."

"What?"

"Pretty. And popular, it seems. We're polar opposites. And oh my God, not to be weird, but Ronnie, your dad is super hot."

Veronica almost choked, "What?"

"And your mom, too! Damn, that's just insane. No family should be allowed to be that attractive."

"No, no, no, no, no. Betty, stop, no. Those are my parents." 

Betty laughed, "Aw, Ronnie, no need to get upset. You're the prettiest Lodge. I swear."

"I'd better be," Veronica laughed, "Is it weird that I don't know you but I feel like I do?"

"Definitely," Betty conceded, "But even though I don't know you, I like talking to you. And I feel comfortable. And well, you don't know me but if you did then you'd know that's a pretty big deal, because I'm super awkward and I have social anxiety so-"

"Betty?" Veronica interrupted. 

"Yeah?"

"Why don't we just say that we're meant to be and leave it at that?"

***

For some odd reason, ever since Veronica had hung up, Betty couldn't stop smiling. It was making her face hurt a little bit. Betty was stalking her Facebook when Kevin opened the door to her dorm room without even a knock.

"Ugh, Betty." Kevin sat down at the edge of her bed as Betty slammed her laptop shut, "Why do feelings exist? Why do boys exist?"

Betty smiled, "Joaquin again?"

"He's so cute, Betty! He has that whole mysterious bad boy thing going on and it is a charm that I am not immune to by any means. I don't know what to do, Betts."

"I don't know, Kev, maybe you should ask him out."

"Really, you're telling me? You, who have been in love with Archie for years and have never once fessed up to that ginger stallion?"

It was in that moment that Betty realized she hadn't actually thought about him all day. Not once. Not since Veronica had called her.

"Wait," Kevin said, "You're smiling. Why are you smiling? Did you and Archie finally talk?"

"No, Kev. I haven't even thought of him."

Kevin smiled brightly, "Ooo, is it a new guy?"

"Well... no. God, you're going to think I'm crazy when I tell you. So this morning I got a call from a wrong number and..." When Betty finished telling Kevin the story he was staring at her with a smile on his face and his elbows on his knees.

"God, Betty, this is ripped straight out of a Nicholas Sparks novel. The New York socialite, the daughter of your mother's archnemesis who accidentally calls you? I mean, who would've thought? That's just so  _ weird. _ "

"I know," Betty sighed, "And I don't even know her. But I don't know... I really liked talking to her today and she's super super pretty and -"

"Wait." Kevin raised a hand, "How do you know what she looks like?"

"She added me on Facebook."

"Oooo let me see!" Betty opened her laptop, which already had a tab on Veronica's Facebook, and Kevin gasped.

"Oh my God, Betty, this girl is a ten. That dress is amazing. And I don't mean to be vulgar, but that ass is insane!"

Betty smacked Kevin on the arm, "Stop that!"

"Okay, okay, but in all seriousness, do you like her? I mean, do you even like girls? Because before today you were head over heels for one Archie Andrews."

"I don't know, Kev. I mean, I think... I think I'm pansexual, and I've thought that for a while, but... it never mattered before because I thought Archie and I would be endgame. How did you know you were gay?"

Kevin laughed, "Have you seen me, Betty? I know this Veronica girl has got you all tangled up in knots, but I'm probably not the guy to be going to about sexual confusion. I came out of the womb holding a ranbow flag."

"I guess you're right." Betty sighed, "You know what, it doesn't even matter, because she's in New York and she's out of my league and she's probably not even into girls."

"Ah, well, I know for sure that at least one of those claims is false. She's bisexual."

"What?" Betty blurted, "How do you know that?"

"It's on her Facebook, Betty. How do you  _ not  _ know that? We really need to work on your stalking skills."

After Kevin left, Betty was left alone to her thoughts. 

For some reason, it had been a lot easier to deal with liking girls in the abstract. Now, when there was a specific girl that she liked, she was having a bit of a panic. If she did actually like girls, that meant she would have to tell her parents, who would no doubt send her away like Polly. Betty curled her hands into fists, a bad habit that she had been trying to kick for years, in a vain attempt to distract herself from what she was really thinking about. 

Her phone vibrated, and Betty rolled over to pick it up, expecting a notification from Twitter or a text from her mother. Instead she was greeted by a text from Veronica Lodge.

**Veronica:** _ Hey, you up? _

**Betty:** _ Yeah, what's up? _

**Veronica:** _ Nothing, just couldn't sleep, and you? _

**Betty:** _ Same. Thinking too much. _

**Veronica:** _ Oh? What about? _

**Veronica:** _ Only if you want to tell me, no pressure. _

**Betty:** _ Um... how did you know you were bi? _

**Betty:** _ Not to be weird, I just saw on your Facebook and I'm... confused. _

Betty's phone started ringing and she picked it up without thinking twice. "Veronica?"

"Hey, Betty, what's going on?"

Betty took a shaky breath, "I don't know."

"Um, okay. Do you - do you want to talk about it?"

"I, um - I was in love with my best friend, Archie. Am, maybe. I don't know. I mean, I thought I really really liked him but now I'm not so sure. I don't know if I actually like him or if I just felt that I  _ should  _ like him because we were the boy and girl next door and that's what everyone expected. I think I might like girls, but I'm pretty sure I also like boys and I think that I might be pan but I'm just not  _ sure  _ and if I am pan then my mother is going to crucify me and send me away and-"

"Whoa, Betty, breathe. It's okay. You're okay." Veronica reassured her as Betty tried her best to contain the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Sorry, I'm such a mess oh my god, you don't even know me and I am just dumping this all over you."

"That's alright, Betty, look..." Veronica took a deep breath, "There is no right or wrong answer to this. It's obviously different for everyone but if you've thought about this and you think that you're pan then you probably are. And that's okay, there's nothing wrong with you."

"But my mom..."

"Your mom nothing, Betty. Alice Cooper can do her worst, but I am telling you that you're okay. Don't worry."

"She sent my sister away. I don't know where she is. I don't know why, either, just that she's off at some group home." Betty sniffled into the phone, "And I'm scared that if my mom finds out that she'll send me away just like Polly."

"God, Betty. I'm sorry. You're going to be okay, though, because now you have Veronica Lodge on your side and if there's one thing your mother should know, it's to never cross a Lodge."

***

Veronica had expected that when her mother got home everything would go back to normal. They'd go shopping (because, duh), they'd go to some dinner party, and the Lodges would be just fine. So when Hermione Lodge came barreling through the door yelling at Veronica to pack her suitcase, she didn't know how to react. 

"Mom! What the hell is going on?" Veronica stood, shell-shocked in the middle of the room waiting for an explanation. 

"We don't have time, Ronnie. The police are going to be here any minute and we don't want to be here when they arrive."

"The police?"

Hermione put a hand on Veronica's shoulder, "I know you have a lot of questions, but we simply do not have the time to answer them right now, okay? Go to your room and pack your bags. We're moving."

It was like she was on autopilot, as she packed her dresses and her heels and her pearls into three suitcases. These three suitcases that held her entire life. Everything was happening so quickly.

"I'm done, Mami. What do I do now?"

Hermione took a deep breath, "Now, we eat dinner. We don't want them to know that we were expecting them."

Veronica's father stepped forward to embrace her, "I'm sorry,  _ mija.  _ I never meant for you to get caught up in any of this. To get hurt."

And although Veronica did not have the answers, or even knew the right questions to ask, she wrapped her arms around her father and willed the tears not to come.

"Are you getting out, papi?"

Hiram laughed, "Of course, mi amor. I have my ways, Vero, I'll be right back with you and your mami before you even notice I'm gone."

Although she knew better than to believe him, Veronica smiled.

When the officers came barreling through the door and dragged her father away in handcuffs, they were in the middle of dinner, and they were smiling. And then they were crying and then Veronica was screaming "No!" and then he was gone. It all happened so fast. 

As fast it all happened, turns out news in New York's top circles moves even faster. Because by the next day, none of Veronica's so called friends were speaking to her. It stung. 

But, for the past few weeks she had been growing closer with one Betty Cooper, sharing late night talks and text messages about absolutely nothing. For some reason, Veronica was confident that Betty would pick up the phone even when her "friends" wouldn't.

And she did. After one ring, Betty's voice filtered in through the phone, "Hello?"

Veronica sniffled, "Betty?"

"Veronica, are you... okay?"

"Um, Betty, my dad got arrested."

"What! Why?"

Veronica struggled to fend off tears as the past day's events flickered through her mind like a tragic movie she couldn't bring herself to turn off. "He's done some things. Some... some bad things. Embezzling money, other stuff that I don't... I wasn't really listening to."

Betty took a breath, "Ronnie, I'm sorry."

"Now he's gone and they're taking all of our things and Mami doesn't know what we're going to do about money. And everyone I've called, all of my 'friends', they're all icing me out because of what Papi did."

"They don't deserve you, then." 

"No, I'm not a good person. Wasn't, to them. If I was in their place I would probably do the exact same thing."

Betty shook her head, "No, Veronica, you're a good person. And although you may have not been the best, I know you'd understand if you were in their shoes."

"God, Betty." Veronica smiled, "I'm so fucking lucky that I'll have you when I move to Riverdale."

"What?" Veronica could hear Betty's smile through the phone, although she didn't know how that was even possible.

"Yeah, Betty, I'm moving to Riverdale."

"Hold on," Betty said, "I'm gonna Facetime you so I know you're serious."

A few seconds later Betty's face popped up on the screen of Veronica's phone. She quickly accepted the call and smiled at Betty, who even without makeup managed to be stunning.

"Hey, Betty." Veronica chuckled.

"Are you really moving here?" Betty's eyes twinkled and Veronica was grateful that she'd get to see them do that again soon.

"Yes. My mom has an apartment there, it's the only property that was in her name, so..."

Betty frowned then, "God, Ronnie, I'm sorry. The circumstances are terrible. And I'm here happy about your misfortune."

"Don't worry," Veronica said, "When my mom told me, you were the first thing I thought of, too."

Betty grinned, "Well, the circumstances may be awful but... I'm so glad that I get to meet you, Veronica Lodge."

"Me too, Betty. It's gonna be you and me against the world."

***

A week later Betty stood in front of Pop's Chock'Lit Shoppe waiting for Veronica Lodge to arrive. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans before checking her phone for the tenth time in five minutes. 

**Kevin:** _ Good luck with Veronica! And remember, don't let her rub your bottle until the third date ;) _

Betty was about to reply when a black town car pulled up and Veronica Lodge walked out. Her black hair was perfectly straightened and a cape was slung across her shoulders. Suddenly, Betty felt underdressed.

Veronica smiled when Betty met her eyes and they were walking towards each other. Veronica's arms snaked across her waist and Betty wrapped her own across the Latina's shoulders. 

"Well, if it isn't Veronica from New York, in the flesh."

Veronica pulled away so they were just holding each other at the elbows and tilted her head at Betty.

"Did you... did you ever figure out if you liked girls?"

Betty's eyes flickered down to Veronica's lips. "Um, yes. I - I definitely do like girls."

"Good. Then, can this particular girl kiss you?"

Betty didn't answer, and instead chose to close the distance between them. The kiss was chaste, clumsy, but when Betty pulled away and Veronica smiled up at her, eyes twinkling below dark eyelashes, it was worth it.

"You wouldn't know how long I've been waiting to do that," Veronica admitted.

"Well, then, Ronnie, we probably shouldn't waste any more time."

Their lips met again and Betty tangled her hands in Veronica's hair, moving against the girl like this was the only memory made to last.

**Author's Note:**

> All mistakes are mine. I didn't proofread this because proofreading is for writers who care. 
> 
> Comments make the world go round!


End file.
